The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek geo γη or γαια "the earth" and metron μέτρων "measure" in reference to the way their larvae, or inchworms, appear to "measure the earth" as they move along in a looping fashion. A very large family, it has around 23,000 species of moths described, and over 1400 species from six subfamilies indigenous to North America alone. A well-known member is the peppered moth, Biston betularia, which has been subject of numerous studies in population genetics. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests.
The Geometroidea are the superfamily of geometrid moths in the order Lepidoptera. It includes the families Geometridae, Uraniidae, Epicopeiidae, Sematuridae, and the recently established family Pseudobistonidae. The monotypic genus Apoprogones was considered a separate geometroid family of the Apoprogonidae by a minority, but is now subsumed under the Sematuridae.
Ennominae is the largest subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae) with some 9,700 described species in 1,100 genera. They are usually a fairly small moth species, though some grow to be considerably large. This subfamily has a global distribution. It includes some species that are notorious defoliating pests. The subfamily was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.
The Bistonini are a tribe of geometer moths in subfamily Ennominae. As numerous ennomine genera have not yet been assigned to a tribe, the genus list is preliminary. In addition, the entire tribe is sometimes merged into a much-expanded Boarmiini. In other treatments, the Erannini are included in the present group.
The Ourapterygini are one of the large tribes of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. The tribe was described by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle in 1846. They are particularly plentiful in the Neotropics. Ourapterygini are generally held to be the youngest tribe of their subfamily, and at least seasonally have characteristic apomorphic asymmetrical processes of the anellus.
The Abraxini are a tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. Here, the Cassymini are considered a specialized offshoot of the Abraxini and merged therein; some authors consider them a distinct tribe however.
Geometrinae is the nominate subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae). It is strongly split, containing a considerable number of tribes of which most are presently very small or monotypic. These small moths are often a light bluish green, leading to the common name of emerald moths, though a few species called thus are also found in the tribe Campaeini of the Ennominae. A phylogeny and classification was published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society in which 13 tribes were accepted.
Larentiinae is a subfamily of moths containing roughly 5,800 species that occur mostly in the temperate regions of the world. They are generally considered a subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae) and divided into a few large or good-sized tribes, and numerous very small or even monotypic ones which might not always be valid. Well-known members are the "pug moths" of the Eupitheciini and the "carpets", mainly of the Cidariini and Xanthorhoini.
The Cidariini are the largest tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Larentiinae. The Cidariini include many of the species known as "carpets" or, ambiguously, "carpet moths", and are among the few geometer moths that have been subject to fairly comprehensive cladistic study of their phylogeny. The tribe was described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.
Though small in absolute diversity of genera, the Hemitheini are nonetheless the largest tribes of geometer moths in the subfamily Geometrinae. Like most Geometrinae, they are small greenish "emerald moths". The tribe was first described by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle in 1846.
Eois is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae. The genus contains about 250 validly described species, most from the Neotropical region. Many species are still undescribed and the total number of species is estimated to be over a 1,000 in the Neotropical region alone. The genus was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1818.
Gymnoscelis, the pugs, is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by Paul Mabille in 1868.
Herochroma is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae. The genus was described by Charles Swinhoe in 1893.
Odontopera is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by Stephens in 1831. Aethiopodes is sometimes also included here.
Semaeopus is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae erected by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1855.
Sterrhinae is a large subfamily of geometer moths with some 2,800 described species. This subfamily was described by Edward Meyrick in 1892.
Scopulini is a tribe of the geometer moth family (Geometridae), with about 900 species in seven genera. The tribe was described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.
Asthenini is a tribe of geometer moths under subfamily Larentiinae first described by Warren in 1893. The tribe has been combined with Eupitheciini in the past, most notably by Jeremy Daniel Holloway in his work The Moths of Borneo.
Louis Beethoven Prout (1864–1943) was an English entomologist and musicologist.
William Warren was an English entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.
